Storage and dispensing apparatus



Aug' 5, l941- w. J. Glass STORAGE AND DISPENSING APPARATUS Original Filed March 13, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet l v All@ 5, 1941- w. J. GIBBs 2,251,875

STORAGE AND DISPENSING APPARATUS Original Filed March 13, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 5, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Divided and this application January 31, 1940, Serial No. 316,674

4 Claims.

The present invention relates to apparatus for storing and feeding stacked articles, said apparatus being of the type described and claimed in my copending application Serial No. 130,787, filed March 13, 1937, from which this application is divided.

The invention has for its object the provision of apparatus for storing and feeding stacks of dishes such as trays, plates, saucers, cups and the like in such a position that the uppermost unit of the stack is at a predetermined convenient height and those below it are encased or held below it in a protected position ready to be fed upwardly upon removal of said uppermost member whereby the next member beneath it comes into position at said predetermined height. The motivating means are any one or any combination of such means as springs, weights, compressed air, hydraulic head, electric coil and armature, electric motor or other equivalent means and in each of the apparatus exemplifying the present invention the height of a stack or the number of members therein or the total Weight thereof determines the actuation thereof so that in each case the uppermost member thereof is brought to the predetermined height or position convenient for removal. And this actuation can be adjusted so that operation will take place when the number of pieces in the stack is small or has been reduced even to one. Also the balance and actuation can be adjusted so that two or more are in position to be taken off and a corresponding number moved up into the exposed position for subsequent removal.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent' from the following description of embodiments of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings thereof, and from the appended claims,

In the drawings, which somewhat diagrammatically show illustrative embodiments of the present invention:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation view of a casing enclosing an embodiment of the present invention adapted for holding and feeding trays;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same, with some details of the enclosed mechanism shown in dotted line;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section view taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section view taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 3 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 5 is an elevation view of an alternative embodiment of a gauge shown in Fig. 2 and in the upper part of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the same taken along the line 6-6 of Fig. 5, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to Figs. l to 4 of the drawings, a casing I0 encloses la framework II which at one end near the top supports the spaced apart pairs of sprockets I2, I2 and I3, I3' over whichpass the two pairs of sprocket chains |4, I4 and I5, I5 which at respective ends connect with the two pairs of lugs IB, I6 and I1, Il', which in turn support the four corners of carrier I8 which had fixed thereto a tray I9. Said chains I4, I4 extend vertically from the lugs |6, I6 to and over the sprockets I2, I2 rotatably mounted on aligned stub shafts xed to the frame and thence horizontally to and over sprockets 20, 20 mounted on a common shaft 2| with said sprockets I3, I3 and thence downwardly for connection at their ends with connector lugs 22, 22'. Lug 22 con nects chain I4 with chain I5 and a tape 24 which passes downwardly to and is fixed on a drum 25 fixedly mounted on the rotatable shaft 26 mounted near the bottom of said framework Il. Said lug 22 connects chains I4 and I5 to an endless chain 28 which at an upper turn passes over a sprocket 23 mounted on said shaft 2| and at a lower turn passes under a sprocket 30 mounted on said shaft 26. The arrangement is such that chains I4, I4 and |5, I5' have uniform movement when the carrier is raised or lowered.

Fixed on said shaft 26 is a gear pinion 3| which meshes with a gear 32 mounted on a shaft 33 which carries four drums 34, 34 to which latter connect respective ends of sprocket chains 35, 35 Whose upper ends connect to ends of corresponding tension springs 36, 36 whose upper ends in turn connect to the horizontal bar 31 by means of respective clevis bolts 38, 38 having the adjusting wing nuts 39, 39.

On said fixed tray I9 is shown a load of stacked trays 40, 40 to whose weight, as translated through said pinion 3| and gear 32, said springs 36, 36 are calibrated so that the addition lor removal of one or more of said traysf40'to or from the stack results in a proportionallowering or raising of the said carrier I8 and its stacked trays 40 whereby the upper level of said stacked trays 40 is always at a substantially predetermined elevation with respect to an opening 4| in the upper surface of said casing I0, said pinion 3| and gear 32 beingat a predetermined ratio with respect to each other and to the size of said drums 34, 34 whereby the lower ends of said springs 38, '36 move carrier I8.

At said opening Il, said casing III has formed a downwardly extending flange ,43 which serves as a guide for said stacked trays 40, 4i)v and fa pair of vertical rods M, 44 fixed to said frame-'fl work Il one on each side, serve as tray guides v.

below. said flange 53.

n said shaft 2| a screw 46 carries a nut Il which connects `to and is held' against rotation by one end of a link I8 whose other end connects to a horizontal crank arm 4 9 rotatably mounted on said horizontal bar 31 carrying on its l upper end a gauge 50 whichshows through a ,window 5I in -the upperfsurface of said casing I register with a window 5l' corresponding to said v-window I. I. y

Referring particularly to'Figs.' -1,.2 and 3, the

upper part of said casing I0 has formed therein, adjacent said opening 4|, the Yreceptacles 55, 55

forvknives, forks, spoons and other cutlery and adjacent thereto a step 56 for holding an indif '1 2,251,875 a shorter distance than said balancing said. carrier and any stacked load` thereon so thatthe uppermost unit of the stack ends ilxed to the carrier. and means for counteroccupies a predetermined position above said vtop portion, saidmeans comprising a driven shaft-connected to ends of said flexible connections and rotatably mounted on said support, a

power shaft parallel .to said driven shaft, gears lconnecting said-shaftsfor simultaneous rotation, andmeans for rotating said power'shaft comprising an adjustable calibrated sionin'g means.'

2. In a storing and feeding mechanism for stacked articles, in combination, a support hav-v ing an apertured top portion for passage therethrough of stacked articles,a vertically movable carrier adapted to'hold a load of stacked articles extending through the aperture in said top portion with the uppermost article lof the stack v at a predetermined level, means for movably supporting said carrier comprising a plurality of spaced aligned members rotatably mounted on ,said support, a plurality of flexible connections engaging said rotatable members and having I ends xed to the carrier, and means for countervidual tray which has been removed from said stacked trays 40 while cutleryl is beingtakenl from said receptacles 55, v55 and-said step 56,

said casing I0 has formed inthe 'side thereof the napkin boxes 51, 51. i y l In operation of the apparatus, stacked articles of uniform size and weight are simply placed on the carrier or added to stacked articles thereon. This loading is at'the top of -the apparatus and at a convenient height-to avoid the necessity of an operator stoopin'g. Or abnormally reaching to load or unload articles toor 'from the top of the stack. The casingpresentsaservice top` or counter and the uppermost unit of the stack is positioned at a predetermined' level L above the casing. The calibrated springs -and mechanism described are adjustable to accoml modate the apparatus to loadswhose units are of different thickness or oi different weights, said adjustment being eiected by changing the v vtension of the springs. vThe arrangement is r such that vfor am] given load of uniform articles the carrier so positions itself that thetop of -the load or stack is always presented at' a predeterbalancing said carrier and any stacked load thereon so that the uppermostunit of the stack occupies a predetermined position above said top portion', said` means comprising 4a driven shaft 'connected to said flexible connections. whereby the carrier and its stacked load tends to turn said shaft in one direction, .and means for counterbalancing said carrier and any load thereon, said means comprising a calibrated spring tensioning device including a power shaft geared to Asaid driven shaft, said counterbalancing means being adapted to raise said carrier and stacked load thereon a predetermined distance as the load on thecarrier is decreased.

3. In a storing and feeding mechanism for stacked articles, in combination, a support havling an apertured top portion for passage therethrough of stacked articles, a vertically movable carrier adapted to hold a'load ofv stacked articles extending through the aperture in said top porvtion with the uppermost article of the stack at.

a predetermined level, means for movably supporting said carrier comprising a plurality of spaced aligned members rotatably vmounted on said support, a plurality of flexible connections mined level with respect to the top of the casing.

. The unit is such as to be capable of forming part Aof, a service vcounter' or the like.

' l While the invention has been described in connection with a specic embodiment, it isto be understood that the words which have been used p arewords of descriptionv rather than o f limita- Y tion, and that practiceof the invention within the scope of the appended claims may be re- `sorted to Without departing from the true scope fand; spirit of the invention in all its aspects.

Iclaim:. l v .1. In a storing and feeding mechanism for through of stacked articles, a vertically 'movable carrier adapted to hold a load ofA stackedv articles Vextending through the aperture in said-top portion with the uppermost article of the stackata predeterminedV level, means for movably supeng'agingsaid rotatable members and having endsxed to the carrier, and means for counterbalancing said carrier and any stacked loadv thereon so that-the uppermost unit of the stack occupies ai predetermined position above said top portion, said means comprising av driven shaft connected to said ilexible connections whereby the carrier and its stacked load tends to turn said shaft in one direction, means for :ouvnterbalaalncing said carrier and any load vthereon,-said means comprising a calibrated spring tensioning device including a power shaft geared to said driven shaft, said counterbalancing means being adapted to raise said carrier and stacked load thereon Aa predetermined distance ras the load on the carrier is decreased, and means visible through the top portion of 'the support for indicating quantities of stacked articles on the carrier, said means being operatively connected to said carrier supporting mechanism.

porting said carrier comprising a vvplurality of I spaced alignedmembers rotatablymounted'on said support,- a plurality of flexible connections 4. In a vstoring-and feeding mechanismffor stacked articles, in combination, a supporting frame having an apertured horizontal top, a carengaging said rotatable' members Aand. having f spring tenrier supported by said frame and adapted for vertical movement and adapted to hold a load of stacked articles extending through said top aperture with the uppermost article at a predetermined level above the top, said carrier supporting means comprising a plurality of spaced aligned sprockets rotatably supported on said frame, a plurality oi' sprocket chains engaging said sprockets, and means for counterbalancing said carrier and any load thereon so that the uppermost unit of the stack occupies said prede- 10 tension of said springs.

termined position, said means comprising a driven shaft connected to the ends of said sprocket chains and rotatably mounted on said support, a power shaft geared to said driven shaft and having a plurality of spaced drums rotatable therewith, a plurality of tension springs each having an end connected to said support and the other end connected with a respective drum on said power shaft, and means for adjusting the wnLIAM J. Grans. 

